Written on Your Heart
by a girl with a golden back
Summary: Carlos/Stephanie


A caramel skinned boy stood in the empty hallway, his forehead pressed against the door of apartment and his silhouette illuminated by the dull glow of the lamps lined up across the ceiling. Clutched in his fist was a plastic bag filled with candy hearts in an array of pastel pinks, purples, and blues, each one etched in magenta with the words he wanted to say but just couldn't get out.

His breathing hitched as his free hand drifted towards the door, and he quickly straightened his posture before knocking.

As soon as his own mocha eyes locked with the familiar pair of jade eyes, he could feel his muscles loosen, and all of the insecurities and nervousness that had plagued him on the walk over seemed to melt away.

"Hey Carlos," the words seemed to roll off of her tongue so easily as a surprised grin spread across her lips.

"Hi Stephanie," he chuckled slightly, one hand gripping tightly around the candy while the other dove into the pocket of his jeans.

"So…do you wanna come in?" she asked, tucking a loose strand of sleek hair behind her ear as she stepped aside.

Carlos nodded and followed her into the apartment, and it was then that he realized that he'd never actually been inside her home. His eyes surveyed the living room as they passed through, falling upon a collection of novels spread open across the coffee table, presumably her father's.

The walls of Stephanie's bedroom were painted lime green, and the pair of bodies fell onto turquoise polka-dotted sheets. Carlos's hands were woven together as they rested in his lap.

"So what's up?" she asked. Her café au lait legs swung back and forth off of the side of the bed.

Carlos's eyes focused on her bedside lamp as he spoke, the bare light bulb emitting a harsh stream of light onto the ceiling. "So, I've been thinking about you a lot since the dance, and I was hoping that maybe you'd like to go see a movie with me or something?"

She inched closer to him, her bare legs slightly brushing against his, her face peeking around to meet his stare.

"Actually, I'd love that. It'd be nice to spend some time with you without all of the other guys around," she laughed, running her fingers through her hair nervously.

Carlos smiled to himself a little; it was nice to see that Stephanie was just as jittery as he was.

"That's great," he replied. His eyes casually shifted around her room, soaking in the various clothes that lie scattered across the beige carpet and the numerous horror props that were gathered in piles along the opposite wall.

Stephanie wasn't like the other girls at the Palm Woods, and that's what attracted him to her. Instead of spending all of her time reading fashion magazines or watching reality television, Stephanie devoted most of her time to producing low budget horror movies, one of which Carlos and his friends had unknowingly been the stars of.

"Just let me know when there's a movie out that you wanna see, and I'll take you. I'm sure your taste in movies is way better than mine," he joked as he ran a hand through his short espresso locks.

"I'll be sure to do that," she said softly, her hands gripping her knees.

"Oh yeah, I got you these." Carlos thrust his hand into the pocket of his jacket where he'd tucked away the bag of conversation hearts. "I know it's kinda cheesy, but most of these sayings reminded me of you."

She took the bag from him, spreading the candy out with her fingers to reveal their sentiments. "Aw, this is so sweet, Carlos." Her voice was almost a whisper as her eyes skimmed over the imprinted words. "But it's September, where did you find these? I thought they only made them for Valentine's Day."

"They were in my locker," the boy admitted with a sheepish grin. "But Logan said they have a self-life of like, five years, so they should still be good."

Stephanie nodded to herself, thanking him as they made their way to the door.

"So I guess I'll see you in Spanish tomorrow," he mumbled as the two stood in her doorway, two pairs of eyes glued to the floor.

"Yeah, I'll see you there. Be sure to save me a seat," she teased before she pulled the door closed.

Carlos had a slight bounce in his step as he returned to his apartment on the floor below. Maybe this was the start of something new, and though he was a little scared since he'd never had a girlfriend, it was a rush, a chance that he was willing to take.

The next day in Spanish class, a chain of candy hearts laid across Stephanie's collarbone.


End file.
